


Choose Me

by Wren_ofthewildwood



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mob, Enforcer Nicky, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Investigator Joe, Investigator Team AU, M/M, Mafia AU, No torture happens in this fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:22:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26286379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wren_ofthewildwood/pseuds/Wren_ofthewildwood
Summary: Agent Al-Kaysani has been captured by the mafia he's been investigating and Nicolo is forced to make a choice.--9/7 ALRIGHT SO I LIED - I wrote a small scene from where they first see each other tooA short snippet from a larger mafia au I will never write (EDIT - THAT I MIGHT BE WRITING NOW....?) See chapter notes for summary of the backstory for this piece.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Comments: 39
Kudos: 187
Collections: Old Guard Discord Server Prompt Jamboree





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [Wren_ofthewildwood](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wren_ofthewildwood/pseuds/Wren_ofthewildwood) in the [TheOldGuardPrompts](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/TheOldGuardPrompts) collection. 



> Backstory:  
> Yusuf works with a team of three others (Booker, Quynh and Andy) working to take down crime syndicates. Right now their goal is to take down the mafia that Nicolo is a part of. Nicolo was taken in by the crime family at a young age and raised to work for them. Despite his kind heart, he was taught to kill and torture and he became very skilled, and very good at compartmentalization. He eventually rose in the ranks to be the right hand enforcer of the Don. 
> 
> But then he met Yusuf when he was investigating the mafia. And just kept running into him. They start to get to know each other a bit as Yusuf investigates him and Nicolo investigates Yusuf. And of course they start to develop feelings for each other. 
> 
> Yusuf offers to help Nicolo get out, join him on his team, but Nicolo always says no even though he also continues to fail to turn Yusuf over to his Don. Now Yusuf has been captured by the mafia so they can find out what he and his team knows. Nicolo has been told to get it done, no one knowing about their connection.

Nicolo stepped into the room nodding to the guards at either side. He lit a hand rolled cigarette bringing it to his lips. “You should have left things alone, Agent Al-kaysani,” He said softly. Everything he did was quiet, soft, precise and most importantly deadly. Nicolo had not become an enforcer for his Don because he flinched in the face of violence. He was competent and efficient in his work and had always been loyal to the family that had taken him in and trained him.

Yusuf’s face was bloody and bruised and the slight hunch of his shoulders as he leaned against the bindings of his chair suggested his ribs were probably bruised as well. “You can’t avoid the law forever,” He responded, voice rough from lack of water. 

Nicolo nodded to one of the two men inside the room. “Water,” He demanded and the man nodded, stepping outside to bring a glass without question.

He stepped forward crouching down in front of Yusuf, just far enough away to be out of range of a headbutt. He took the cigarette from his lips blowing out smoke to curl in the air between them. “But now we need to decide what to do with you Agent Al-kaysani,” He said softly, anger flashing across his face too fast for most people to catch before it returned to its usual mask of serene calm. 

“Outside,” He ordered the other guard as he stood back up, the guard hesitated for a moment but the icy look Nicolo shot him at the delay had him nodding in deference and disappearing into the hallway, the metal door clanging shut behind him.

“You’ve put me in an untenable position, Officer Al-kayani. We can’t let you walk out of here with what you’ve seen,” He said, flicking his cigarette to the floor and crushing under his foot, frustration leaving his movements stiff and jerky. 

“I’ve told you to call me Yusuf.” 

“And I’ve told you I will not go with you and your companions. My place is here at my Don’s right hand,” He said dispassionately but his eyes were aflame. 

“But you don’t belong here. I’ve seen you. I’ve seen your heart, Nicolo,” Yusuf said looking deep into Nicolo’s eyes with a calm certainty, even as his shifting fingers and the sweat on his brow showed his fear as well.

Nicolo looked away first, turning towards a desk strewn with torture implements. His shoulders tensed and rose, fingers spasming as he fought to keep them from curling into a fist.

“You don’t know me,” he said softly, but it felt weak even to his own ears.

“Don’t I, Nicolo?” 

Nicolo looked back eyes wide and vulnerable and then the guard returned with water, the one he’d forced to leave earlier following him back in. 

Nicolo turned away from Yusuf, tipping his head to direct one guard to set the water on the table. He called to the guards outside in Italian, ordering them to come inside. There was a momentary pause, the silence heavy before it was broken by four quick shots. Four bodies slumped to the ground as Nicolo lowered his gun.

Yusuf’s body stood ramrod straight, mouth hanging slightly open and eyes shining. Nicolo pulled a knife from his belt and cut the bindings, helping Yusuf to stand. 

“Grazie mille, Nicolo,” Yusuf murmured cupping Nicolo’s cheek. Nicolo allowed himself one moment to lean into the hand, closing his eyes to savor it. 

Then Nicolo was frowning as he saw how Yusuf favored one leg, limping after him as he checked the hallway to make sure no one had come to investigate. The door would have helped muffle the sound and bought them valuable time but he wouldn’t bet on anything, not with both their lives now on the line.

Yusuf picked up a gun from a fallen guard and held it at the ready, covering Nicolo’s back.

Gun held out in front of him, Nicolo led Yusuf down the hall, shooting two other guards as they stepped around corners never even seeing their death coming. Finally they reached a small side door that opened to a staircase, it led them outside and then Nicolo was urging him to run. 

“Run, as fast as you can. The black car there at the end. I’ll be right behind you,” Nicolo urged, giving him a gentle shove when Yusuf hesitated looking like he wanted to argue or perhaps make some kind of romantic declaration. But at the shove he got with the program and ran as fast he could on his injured leg. Nicolo right at his heels, eyes scanning around them, ready to take out anyone who caught them.

The compound they were in was mostly empty at the moment but the wide stretch of ground before they reached his car would leave them vulnerable and couldn’t be avoided. They were feet from the car when a shout rang out, Nicolo already turning at the sound and shooting the guard right between the eyes but they were out of time. Nicolo hit the button to unlock the car and leapt into the driver’s seat peeling out as soon as the passenger door shut behind Yusuf.

More guards emerged from the compound but Nicolo’s car was already barreling out of the gates and there was confusion over what had happened that kept them from shooting after his familiar vehicle. 

They would have to make a dash for the private airstrip that Nicolo rarely used but knew would have a plane that could get them out of the country no questions asked, and hope they got there before the family figured out he was a traitor and started to spread the word. 

He looked over to Yusuf who was leaning against the door, staring at him as if he was trying to memorize his features. Nicolo raised a brow in a silent question and Yusuf smiled. Nicolo felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight. Even injured and exhausted, Yusuf seemed to light up like the sun when he smiled.

“Thank you, Nicolo,” He said, but the words sounded like something more than just gratitude to Nicolo’s ears.

“I could not leave you to die…” He admitted, like a shameful secret, looking back to the road.

“I know,” Yusuf said, the warm affection in his voice drew Nicolo’s eyes back to him and he couldn’t help the slight upward turn of his own lips in response.

“Will you stay with me?” Yusuf asked, skipping over their ongoing escape as if it was a foregone conclusion. 

Nicolo was tempted to deny him, some part of him still struggling to comprehend the enormity of what he had just done for this man he barely knew. Part of him was angry at Yusuf for tearing apart the only life he had ever known. 

But in the end he could deny him nothing. For no matter how hard he had fought, he could not escape him. And even if he wasn't ready to give a name to his feelings, he was nearly certain they were returned.

“Yes. I will stay with you Yusuf. For as long as you will have me.”

Yusuf looked shocked, having probably expected him to talk around things instead of giving such a declaration. But then he was beaming brighter than Nicolo has ever seen and his heart skipped a beat. 

“A very long time, then,” He said with a touch of laughter. And Nicolo couldn’t help but laugh quietly along with him, knowing he had made the right choice.


	2. First Sight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's not love at first sight but they won't be forgetting each other. A quick drabble of their first meeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I blame @Katrin from the TOG Discord for posting lovely Luca images and marking them as Mafia inspiration.
> 
> Contains - guns, cops and a cheetah print hat

“It’s time to go,” Don Rizzuto said gesturing to the men gathered around him as the sound of police sirens echoed down the street growing louder. “Nicolo, ensure we are not followed.”

Nicolo nodded sharply and headed to his quarters, grabbing his rifle and a few other weapons and then dashing for the roof. The compound had a back entrance through the underground that should allow them to escape unfollowed but it would be Nicolo’s job to slow down the cops so by the time they got into the building the head of the mafia and his top generals would be long gone and impossible to track.

He settled down against a small ledge next to a chimney to give him some cover just as the police ripped around the corner. Nicolo frowned as he thought of what would be done to whoever had sold out the information of this particular gathering. There would be many long nights with men tied to chairs screaming and crying that they knew nothing in his future. 

He shoved such thoughts away as the first few men popped out of their vehicles and he aimed and fired. The first two quick shots from his rifle burst the front tires of the two cars closest to the gates and sent officers scrambling for cover behind their car doors, eyes scanning for the shooter. He ducked back out of sight and glanced carefully around the corner of the chimney.

Then a man stepped out of an unmarked vehicle further back. He stood tall and confident taking in the scene before turning to a tall woman with a sharp glare who barked something to him that had the man nodding and stepping away to talk to one of the officers in charge. 

He had beautiful dark skin, and was wearing a bulletproof vest over a green henley that clung to his arms accentuating the muscles there. But the thing that made Nicolo nearly do a double take was the backwards cap in his head, covered in a cheetah print. Nicolo’s grin at the sight was bright and feral. He wondered what kind of man wore such an item of clothing to an operation like this. Definitely not a cop.

One of the cops near the front started to make a move forward and Nicolo took careful aim and shot through his foot, he fell back against the side of the car with a yell of pain. He saw a swarm of movement but then a few shots up towards near where he was perched had him ducking back again. It wouldn’t be long before they figured out there was only one shooter and not the battalion of guards they’d probably been expecting. He caught the man in the backwards cap talking with four others over a large sheet of paper that he assumed was a map of the grounds.

“Come out with your hands up and you will not be harmed!” The lead officer shouted into a megaphone and Nicolo scoffed.

Finally it looked like they were ready to make their move, cops in riot gear with a battering ram headed for the gate, being covered by others taking potshots near his position so he couldn’t pick them off. He ground his teeth frustrated at being pinned down so easily, but knew he’d done enough. Now it was time to get out of dodge. He pulled out two grenades, pulled their pins and threw it with all his strength over the gates. He heard frantic shouts of “Grenades!!” but didn’t stay to see the explosions, running across the roofs and leaping down to a balcony and then to the ground with an elegant roll. He had to leave his rifle and bag on the roof but he shouldn’t need them now. He ran for the side gate that led through the back of an empty house next door. 

Then he looked and saw two men running after him. The man with the cheetah print hat and a tired looking blond. He held back a snarl, he needed to lose them and he only had one more point where he could easily do so if he couldn’t outrun them.

The blond dropped back, trying to circle around and Nicolo adjusted course so that he was taking another route to his destination. One down, one to go. He dashed and leapt over trash bins and alleys dodging around people in a brief foray across two busier streets but the man was still there, face a mask of grim determination.

He saw his last chance coming up, a tall brick wall, over which was his planned place to disappear.

He looked back over his shoulder to see the man in the backwards cap right on his heels and he put on a final burst of speed as he leapt onto a wall with effortless grace. He turned to see a gun aimed at him. “Stop or I’ll shoot!”

Nicolo’s lip ticked up in a subtle smile that just bared the edges of his teeth, tapped two fingers in a fast salute to his forehead and then disappeared over the wall to the sight of the man’s outraged face. He heard cursing in a language he didn’t recognize from the other side of the wall as he pulled open a side door that was meant for this purpose, locking it behind him as he dashed across a warehouse floor to the trap door hidden under an industrial table. Then he disappeared down into the dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I needed to include Joe in that cheetah print baseball cap he was wearing some interviews.

**Author's Note:**

> Why yes I did end up filling my own Mafia Au prompt. But I'd love to see more mafia au out there so don't let that stop you!
> 
> Constructive critique and suggestions are welcome. (Especially since this is unbetaed) As are requests/ideas for more short fics!
> 
> Thanks for taking the time to read! Comments encourage me to write and feed the creative beast, even just "!!!" or "<3"!  
> And I will always respond to show my appreciation!


End file.
